Call Of Destiny
by MusicChangedMyLife
Summary: This is the tale of Ivykit; how she struggles with expectations, emotions, and training, and in her struggle, becomes Ivysong, and learns what it truly means to have a destiny.
1. Chapter 1

Ivykit pounced on the fallen autumn leaf. "Look, Dewshine! Look what I can do!" She rolled on the leaf, batting it into the air. Dewshine turned her head.

"Stop that, Ivykit!" she snapped.

"But Dewshine!" Ivykit whined. Dewshine gave her a fierce look.

"It's not your destiny to become a warrior, so stop acting like one that kills everything in sight! You'll be able to eat freshkill soon, and then you'll be a 'paw." Ivykit sighed.

"Bet if I was normal you wouldn't treat me like this." Ivykit grumbled.

"What was that?" Dewshine snapped.

"Nothing," Ivykit muttered. She walked off, but when she saw that Dewshine wasn't looking, she snagged the leaf with her claw and shredded it. The morning sun shone down on the flecks of the destroyed leaf, and Ivykit blinked. For a minute, it seemed like there had been a face formed by the flecks! _I've got to stop!_ Ivykit told herself sternly, turning away from the flecks. But try as she might, she couldn't resist looking at them again, and gasped.

"Oh, no... Nightkit..." Ivykit trailed off as she saw a face she knew well formed by the shredded leaf. Her vision suddenly filled with images of claws, of a piercing cloud of night and a heart shape, broken clean in two.

"No," Ivykit breathed, and ran out of the clearing into the forest. She pelted blindly through the thick bracken. Finally, she came to a halt as she struggled to breathe. She was standing at the edge of the gorge where Briarkit had fallen less than a moon ago. Briarkit and Nightkit, Briarkit's sister, had snuck out, even though kits weren't allowed outside camp. Briarkit had playfully tried to attack Nightkit, but Nightkit had moved, causing Briarkit to miss and fall. Ivykit thought ruefully how kits weren't allowed out, but once they became apprentices, they began amazing adventures that happened all over the territory. Well, warrior apprentices had amazing adventures...

The only time an apprentice like Ivykit would be, a Starsinger apprentice, would go out was to either practice hunting or visit the Sky Tree. As if visiting the Sky Tree could compare to fighting and defending the Clan! Sure, keeping the barrier to StarClan open was important, but come on! Ivykit knew the only person who would choose _that_ over becoming the best warrior ever would be Nightkit, and Nightkit was probably just trying to stay close to Briarkit, who would be a medicine cat apprentice.

Ivykit stared into the gorge, trying to organize her thoughts. A leaf rustled behind her. She whirled around, only to find a squirrel leaping nimbly across the ground. Ivykit gave chase, daring the squirrel to beat her. She gained ground on the squirrel, and was about to pounce when Ivykit tripped on a tree root and fell.

"Oh, StarClan!" she yelped as she tumbled head over heels. When she stopped tumbling and the world stopped spinning, she looked around. The squirrel forgotten, Ivykit began to explore her new surroundings. She no longer knew where she was, even though most places in HopeClan territory had a story to identify them.

"_Oh, little one, oh, little one, you're not alone. Oh, little one, oh, little one, please guide me home." _Ivykit sang softly as she squeezed through gaps between great oak trunks and leapt over fallen branches. She had been singing the same tune for a few minutes before she realized it.

"Curse the fates!" she swore silently to herself. "I'm going to go without singing for the rest of my life!" She marched along, determined not to let a tune into her head. But as she treaded onward, for hours and hours, she grew weary, and each pawstep became a challenge.

"It's almost sundown. I better curl up somewhere, and take... take a..." Ivykit faded off as she fell asleep.

* * *

She knew it was a dream. She'd never had a dream before, but it wasn't like those dreams that felt real that Nightkit had told her about. She had no doubts it was a dream. She was somewhere she had never been before, or heard about in stories, or that even looked like HopeClan territory. She was somewhere that smelled sweet, but not like HopeClan, home-smell sweet. It was cat scent, for sure, but not HopeClan. She decided that since it was her dream and she was somewhere new, she would explore. Ivykit headed through the trees, following the cat smell. It was nighttime, and she thought she could surprise the cats, whoever they were, while they were asleep.

She crept quietly though the undergrowth, and the scent got stronger as she approached a gorge. Then she gasped. It was filled with cats... a _Clan-sized_ group of cats! But that couldn't be right; after all, the only other Clan was OwlClan, and OwlClan didn't smell nearly as nice as these cats. Maybe they were a big group of rogues, but that didn't seem likely. Her sense of curiosity intrigued, Ivykit snuck in.

Staying close to the edge of the gorge, Ivykit stealthily tiptoed past a fallen tree, where underneath slept old-looking cats; an elders den? Suddenly, she scented a strong, powerful smell - the smell of a tom! She whirled around, and found herself face to face with a fiery red cat, standing tall above her. She squeaked like the frightened kit she was, then shook her head. _I'm not going to let some strange cat scare me!_ She puffed out her chest and glared at this strange cat who _dared_ to sneak up on her, when the tom burst out laughing.

"Well, you certainly have spirit!" he exclaimed. Ivykit blinked at this outburst.

"What?" she asked, as she struggled to understand what was happening.

"Oh, come now, Ivykit, you mean you haven't ever snuck away to the Sky Tree to see what mysteries await you?"

"No!" Ivykit snorted. "I'm _much_ too busy trying to convince my mother..." She trailed off. "...That destiny isn't everything."

The tom gave her a knowing look. "I see. So you're a rebellious young kit, then, not an overeager pupil? I foresaw as much. But I had hoped you would have been smart and discovered what you were fighting." The disappointment in his voice made Ivykit hang her head in shame. "I suppose I can give you the instruction you need to keep the Barrier open. After all, a misguided Starsinger could end the connection between your world and ours forever." He said it casually, as if the idea was simply a passing trouble. Then a thought struck Ivykit.

"Wait a minute, you're a _StarClan _cat!" The tom nodded. "Whoa, am I in StarClan? Am I _dead_?" The tom laughed.

"Oh, no, it's not your time yet. And as for being in StarClan, no. You are in my Clan... ThunderClan." Ivykit blinked in confusion. But there were only two clans, HopeClan and OwlClan! The tom saw her confusion, and explained, "The world is not as small as you think, Ivykit. Though you have only heard of three before, there are five clans you haven't even imagined! ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan live close together, and far away from them lives SkyClan."

Ivykit cried, "But I've only heard of two Clans, HopeClan and OwlClan! You don't make sense and I want to go home!" Ivykit was quickly growing upset, as she realized that she had left her Clan, was completely lost, and no one knew where she was.

The tom gave her a look, the kind warriors give kits that say, "I know you're tired/hungry/thirsty/bored, but I am bigger and smarter and I'm going to teach/show you something, so pay attention!"

He said, very calmly and slowly, "You've forgotten about StarClan, Ivykit. It is a Clan as well, made up of all our warrior ancestors, and the medicine cats." As he said the last two words, a sad look came into his eyes. He shook it off and said, "You'll go home soon enough. But you are here to learn, seeing as you refuse to listen to Sparrownote. Like it or not, you are a Starsinger, and you are destined to keep our worlds connected."

Ivykit grew angry. "You can't tell me what to do!" she yelled. "So I'm just a kit! So I'm little! That doesn't make a warrior better than me! I'm in charge of my destiny, and I say that I want to be a warrior! Not a stupid, light-headed, mouse-brained flimsy Starsinger who never fights, or hunts, or defends their Clan and just sits around letting warriors do the work!" With that she stormed across the gorge, tail held high until she tripped over a pile of mice and birds. Stumbling over the bodies, she sat down with a _thump_ and began to cry. Tears spilled over her face, landing on the sad corpse of a starling. The tom came over, but Ivykit kept her head down. _He can't control me. He's not even alive. I'll do what I want._

"Destiny is a funny thing, Ivykit. You often find it by trying to avoid it." The tom spoke softly, and his words struck a nerve in Ivykit. How _dare_ he talk to her about destiny! All anyone in HopeClan thought of was her destiny! But the thought of HopeClan only made her sob harder.

"Take me home. Please." Ivykit finally looked at the tom, as her salty tears continued to drip.

"Ivykit," the tom said firmly. "You have to learn. I know you want to go home, but you _must_ learn the ways of Starsingers. Find your courage! Where is the kit with a gleam in her eye and a spark in her heart?" Ivykit blinked away the tears.

"Fine. I'll listen to your words. But don't expect me to abide by them! _No one_ controls me, or my destiny!" The tom nodded in consent, and launched into a speech.

"Starsingers are the most important role in the Clan, other than leader. While someone to succeed the leader and help him with duties is important, and medicine cats help keep everyone healthy and fit, a Starsinger is a rare and wonderful thing. In Tribes, one cat, the Stoneteller, is the leader, deputy, and medicine cat rolled into one. But the role of a Starsinger is completely unique to HopeClan. No other Clan or Tribe has someone like you or Sparrownote or any of the preceding Starsingers. You are secret, in a sense; something StarClan hid from the world so no one could use it for malevolent intentions.

"In order to become a fully-fledged Starsinger, you will need to learn several songs: the Star Song; various chants to bring about rain in a drought or health to the sick, that sort of thing; and, of course, harmonies to strengthen the power of the Star Song and other chants. The harmonies are what you sing as an apprentice. You will only use the melodies when your mentor has died and you graduate from apprentice status. Then you will receive your Starsinger name. Afterwards, you will find your soul mate and have a single kit, who always has a great spiritual connection to us and will likely become a medicine cat.

"Your training is utmost secrecy. Even StarClan cats with high authority often have no knowledge of what you do. And that means none of your friends can, either. Listen to your mentor, follow your leader, obey your code. It all applies to a Starsinger. In your youth, this will be tough. It will often seem like your mentor expects too much, and your friends are being kept in the dark, and your leader is wrong, and so on and so forth. But, believe it or not, it's natural to feel that way. Starsingers are vulnerable to many things because they have to grow up so fast, and one of them is mood swings." At that, his eyes gleamed knowingly.

"You probably know about your bangs already. When a Starsinger is born, they have a single note on their bangs. Once they are apprenticed, a flag will appear on the note. After they have graduated to full Starsinger, they get another flag. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

Ivykit, who had listened intently to the tom, blinked as she realized the lesson was over.

"Um... what's a Tribe?" she asked stupidly.

The tom smiled. "That is a lesson for another time. Haven't you learned enough for one night?"

Ivykit's eyes widened. "I've been here all night?" The tom nodded, and Ivykit began turning in circles. "Everyone will be so worried! I have to go home! No one knows where I am and I've been gone all night!"

"You ran away?" the tom inquired. He cocked his head slightly and his eyes bore into Ivykit as she tried to explain.

"I... well, it wasn't like that, I didn't... I wasn't going to be gone forever, or anything..." Ivykit hung her head as she realized that she _had_ run away. The tom sensed her discomfort.

"You simply made a mistake. Now it is your duty to _fix_ it. You have learned of your legacy; you are free to go." Ivykit turned as she saw the first fingers of dawn appear on the horizon. She looked back at the tom.

"You mean it? I can go?" The tom smiled and nodded. Ivykit thought to herself, _So soon? I've spent less than a day with him and already he feels like a teacher... or like a father._

"But," the tom added, "There is someone you may wish to meet. But if so, we must hurry. The sun will soon rise and we have only moments left in dream time." Ivykit hesitated, then nodded. If she had learned everything there was to know about her "legacy", then this person would surely be interesting!

The tom flicked his tail, and their surroundings changed. Suddenly, the ThunderClan camp had become a vast green meadow. Happily chasing a squirrel was a gray she-cat, bright eyes gleaming. Upon seeing the tom, she screeched to a halt. She blinked in confusion.

"_Firestar?_"


	2. Chapter 2

The gray she-cat said excitedly, "Oh, StarClan, Firestar! You have no idea how much everyone has missed you! Except for maybe Jayfeather, because he can see you at the Moonpool and in dreams and stuff, but it's not the same without you! Bramblestar is great though, I know you'd be proud. Am I having a dream from StarClan? Is it a prophecy? But wait, you'd tell Jayfeather. But you can't be here just to visit-

"Slow down, Dovewing!" Firestar chuckled. "It's not a prophecy, sorry." Ivykit thought she caught a whisper of _Not yet. _"But I'm sure you'll be excited to meet this promising young kit." He gestured with his tail to Ivykit. "She has a great destiny ahead of her, but she's been scared of it and wants to be a normal warrior. I believe you know the feeling?" With that last comment, a look of understanding came to Dovewing's face.

"Oh, I see," she said quietly. Turning to Ivykit, she said, "It's hard, isn't it? Being expected to do so much, when you're so young, and need so much more guidance and freedom! There was a prophecy, and I was part of it. It meant I had special powers, and that I couldn't really ever be like a normal warrior. I didn't want it, but I became a great part of my Clan and used my abilities to my advantage. I've learned that having a great ending to your story doesn't mean that everything that comes before isn't worth as much. So how about it? Will you enjoy your story until its climax?"

Ivykit, shocked by how serious and sincere these words were after such bubbly, cheerful talk before, nodded gravely. "I'm going to serve my Clan!" she declared boldly. She held her head and tail high as she paraded in circles. "I will never let you claim the Sky Tree!" she yelled as she pounced on Dovewing. They rolled and wrestled until they came to a stop, panting.

"Sky Tree?" Dovewing looked up questioningly at Firestar from her sprawled position on the ground. He sighed.

"Dovewing... StarClan, ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan aren't the only Clans. There are more out there, that you haven't even imagined. Ivykit here is from HopeClan, so far away that you two can never meet outside of dreams." Dovewing's jaw dropped open, and she looked back and forth between Firestar and Ivykit. Ivykit shrugged.

"Don't look at me; I just found out, too." Firestar suddenly looked up.

"Ivykit, you have to leave now. The sun is rising. Good-bye, Dovewing. May StarClan light your path." Dovewing gave them a sad last look.

"Good-bye, Firestar." And with that, Dovewing faded right before their eyes. Firestar motioned with his tail for Ivykit to follow as he walked towards the rising sun. Ivykit quickly hurried after him, but the sun shone into her eyes. Suddenly, the whole scene fell away.

* * *

Ivykit awoke with a start, curled up in a make-shift nest of leaves. She felt none of the weariness that had plagued her yesterday. She was alert and ready, and had a purpose. _I've got to get back to camp! Everyone's sure to be looking for me!_ Ivykit's paws pounded against the forest floor, kicking up fallen leaves. She prayed to StarClan that she was going in the right direction and began shouting at the top of her lungs.

"Over here! Someone help! Dewshine, Gorsepelt, _somebody!_" She heard a commotion as warriors came rushing over. She recognized Oakstep, Gorsepelt, and Brokenheart coming towards her, and cried, "I got lost, and I couldn't find my way back!" She then launched into sobbing, which was only partially fake. Brokenheart gave her a sympathetic look, but Oakstep only looked annoyed. Gorsepelt's expression was unreadable.

"Come now, let's go back to camp," Brokenheart said soothingly. Oakstep roughly grabbed her scruff as she squeaked in protest. It turned out Ivykit hadn't been far from camp; by chasing the squirrel she had almost come in a circle! Once the three warriors walked into camp with Ivykit swinging in Oakstep's jaws, Dewshine pounded across the clearing. Oakstep spit Ivykit out and walked away as Dewshine began to rant.

"Where _have_ you been? You are in _so_ much trouble, kit, I-"

"Enough, Dewshine!" interrupted Gorsepelt. "She spent the night in the woods - she must be confused, tired, and hungry! Have you no compassion? Let the kit rest; _then_ she can explain." Dewshine huffed and stormed off across camp. Ivykit gave Gorsepelt a grateful look.

"Don't get too happy," he said gruffly. "I'll have to deal with her later, and you still have some explaining to do."

"Okay, okay! But in the meantime, can I have a mouse? I'm _starving!_" Gorsepelt gave her a strange look.

"You're not supposed to be eating freshkill yet. Dewshine says you've refused it." Ivykit's paws scuffed the dirt as she attempted to invent an explanation.

"Yeah, well, I thought, you know, since I was hungry... oh, Gorsepelt, don't tell Dewshine I've been eating freshkill secretly for weeks! Please don't! Who knows what she'll do if-"

Gorsepelt winked. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Then his expression became serious. "You need to start eating freshkill, and not in secret. You're only delaying your apprenticeship, and that helps no one. Most kits can't wait to be apprentices."

"Don't worry, I have no doubts about wanting to be an apprentice anymore!" Ivykit said cheerfully.

"Good," Gorsepelt purred. "But be warned, the elders can be feisty when it comes to ticks!" They both laughed. Ivykit rubbed against Gorsepelt.

"Thanks, Gorsepelt. You're the best father ever!"

* * *

"Well, I hope you enjoyed your... _snack_, Ivykit, because you have explaining to do!" Dewshine said coldly. Ivykit had been forced to leave the freshkill pile almost as soon as her mouse was gulped down. Dewshine paced around the nursery, her tail whipping viciously. "Interesting, that you suddenly just _love_ mice, now, when you've refused to take anything other than milk! And you just returned from a foolish trip into HopeClan territory, which you went on without _any_ idea of where anything was, or how to get back to camp. That must have worked up your _appetite_." Ivykit shied away as Dewshine approached her.

"Dewshine, I am so, so sorry! I didn't mean to make you mad and I- I promise I won't do something like it again!" But Dewshine paid no mind as Ivykit tried to apologize.

"Don't you realize you have a _destiny?_ What if something happened to you? You'd be dead and we'd wait another generation for a Starsinger, by which time Sparrownote might be dead and our connection with Star Clan would wither away into nothing! _How_ could you be so _selfish?_ You _will_ be apprenticed to Sparrownote, tonight. And you _will_ listen, and obey her like you have never obeyed before. Understand?" Ivykit nodded meekly. With a look of disgust, Dewshine stomped out, leaving Ivykit alone in the once-welcoming nursery.

Ivykit sadly walked out of the nursery, taking in one last deep breath. _This is the last time it will be home_. The scent of milk and family filled her. Then, without a second glance, Ivykit left it.

* * *

That evening, Mintstar let out a yowl. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Hopepool for a Clan meeting." Cats emerged from every corner of camp. Gorsepelt looked at Ivykit and smiled. Words passed between them unspoken. _Make me proud._ Ivykit held her head high. _I will._

"At this moment, we celebrate one of my favorite occasions: a kit reaching his or her sixth moon," Mintstar said. "It is with great pleasure I call forth Ivykit, Briarkit, and Nightkit. Come forward." From the gathered cats, Nightkit and Briarkit came, pelts pressed together for assurance, strength and courage. Ivykit felt a pang as she realized she had no such special bond, but stepped forward anyway.

"Nightkit. From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Nightpaw." The crowd cheered out her name. Nightpaw's eyes lit up with pleasure.

"StarClan, guide this apprentice and ensure she never strays from the path you have laid out for her. Boulderclaw, you will be her mentor. Your strength and loyalty are admirable traits- pass them on to Nightpaw." The two touched noses, then stood to the side as they waited for the next name to be called.

"Briarkit. From this day until you receive your full name, you will be called Briarpaw." Briarpaw's new name resounded around the clearing. "StarClan, Briarpaw has shown great skill in the ways of medicine and healing. She has specifically requested to train to be a medicine cat. May you give her the strength to heal and the power to learn as she trains in your ways. Mistfall is your mentor." As the two touched noses, Ivykit felt a thrill. Soon, that would be her!

"And last, but most certainly not least, Ivykit. You are now able to eat freshkill and ready to begin training as a Starsinger. From this day until your mentor passes on the responsibilities of a Starsinger, you will be called Ivypaw. Sparrownote?" Mintstar looked at Ivypaws's new mentor.

"Yes, Mintstar," Sparrownote said in response. Instead of reaching down to touch Ivypaw's nose like the other mentors had, Sparrownote walked around Ivypaw, making strange patterns with the tip of her tail on Ivypaw's flank. Ivypaw breathed slowly, in and out. A strange rhythm pulsed in the air, a calling of the forest. It was as if Ivypaw's eyes– or rather her ears– had truly opened for the first time. Finally, the tip came to rest in the center of Ivypaw's forehead, on her bangs. Sparrownote hummed a few notes, and dropped the tip of her tail, quickly sliding it down Ivypaw's face.

"Thank you, Sparrownote," Mintstar said solemnly. "May you train well, Ivypaw. Learn from Sparrownote not only melodies, but wisdom and determination. StarClan, teach her well!" With that, the clearing burst into cheers, calling out the apprentices' names. Ivypaw looked eagerly around. _Where's Gorsepelt?_ As she looked around, she spotted Dewshine, sitting apart from the crowd. Dewshine looked her grimly in the eye, as if to say: _You will never live up to my expectations._ Ivykit's joy vanished in a heartbeat.

"Ivypaw, Ivypaw!" came a squeak from behind. Ivypaw smiled.

"Stormkit, you know you aren't supposed to use your amazing stealth skills on me!" Ivypaw said to her littermate, suddenly feeling much older. Stormkit came around from behind Ivypaw, jumping with excitement.

"Oh, I didn't mean it, Ivypaw! But it's just so cool, that you're an apprentice, and you get to train and stuff-" Stormkit paused her ranting to pounce on Ivypaw's tail, like they had done in the days they had spent in the nursery together. Ivypaw was tempted to grab Stormkit's tail in her jaws, but knew that since now she was an apprentice, she had to be responsible.

"Now, now, Stormkit, you shouldn't get yourself in a frenzy," Ivypaw said mock-sternly. But they both knew that Ivypaw herself loved to get into a frenzy, and they both laughed. Ivypaw swept her tail so that it laid on top of Stormkit's neck, and said lovingly, "That will be you some day... I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

"Your first duty as a Starsinger apprentice is to connect with the Sky Tree and have our warrior ancestors accept you as a Starsinger-in-training," Sparrownote announced as they walked through the forest. The apprentice ceremony had been yesterday; though Ivypaw had been too excited to sleep during the night, she had managed to take small naps during the day, and now she was well-rested and ready to learn. She thought with satisfaction, _Well, I know one warrior ancestor has accepted me_, remembering her visit from Firestar. But her posture revealed nothing of her thoughts. She carried her tail and head high, and her eyes shone with eagerness to learn.

"Sparrownote, how exactly will I learn the songs?" Ivypaw asked. "And when?" Sparrownote continued walking but turned her head back to look at Ivypaw as she replied.

"Once you've been accepted by our ancestors, every new moon, I will take you to the Sky Tree and teach you in our dreams. In a way, you'll be learning on the job, because I'll be singing and teaching simultaneously." Sparrownote turned her head back to face the path, just in time to avoid tripping over a tree root. She nimbly leaped over it without losing a beat. "Keep up, Ivypaw, it's not much farther," she chided as Ivypaw began to lag behind.

"Okay, okay," Ivypaw groaned as she quickened her pace. "But how much farther is 'not much farther'?" Sparrownote shook her head, causing Ivypaw to fume silently.

"I'd hoped that when I got an apprentice, she'd do work for me so _I'd_ stop complaining, not the other way around." Ivypaw stuck her tongue out at Sparrownote. Then, the thick cluster of trees opened out into a small clearing. In the center was the biggest tree Ivypaw had ever seen.

The tree's roots stretched out beyond the clearing, so thick that they were broader than Ivypaw herself. There were knots and small crevices in the trunk, making patterns that appeared to be pictures, like... faces, and cats, and blood... and it was Nightpaw, claws slashing out towards a broken heart, shredding it! Ivypaw blinked, and the vision evaporated.

"Ivypaw? _Ivypaw?_" Sparrownote said, flicking her tail in front of Ivypaw's face.

"Huh?" Ivypaw said stupidly. Sparrownote gave an exasperated sigh, and gently flicked her tail at Ivypaw before heading towards the giant oak. Ivypaw followed hesitantly, praying to StarClan that she wouldn't get another vision.

Sparrownote went around to the other side of the tree, and as Ivypaw came around, she gasped.

"Good StarClan," she breathed. On this side of the tree was a huge cavity, big enough to fit maybe six full-grown cats and still give them some room. The cavity curved gracefully inside the tree, and almost beckoned. Sparrownote jumped in easily, and settled herself into a corner.

"Come in, Ivypaw! How are you going to get accepted by StarClan if you won't even go into the Sky Tree?" Ivypaw gulped as she stared at the cavity; for a tiny kit like her, it seemed so far...

"I don't know, Sparrownote," Ivypaw said timidly. "Are you sure they can't accept me from down here?" Then she yelped as Sparrownote grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her in. Sparrownote dropped her on the solid oak floor, and curled up. "Sparrownote? Are you okay? Sparrownote?" Ivypaw prodded her mentor. She wasn't moving!

"Yes, Ivypaw, I'm okay... I'd be better if certain anxious kits would do what I'm doing and go to sleep..." Sparrownote mumbled without opening an eye.

"Oh, okay," whispered Ivypaw, and selected a nook for herself. She curled up, closed her eyes, and let sleep wash over her.

* * *

This time, her dream had no definitive setting. She was standing in swirling mist, rainbows and colorless scenery all at once. She could not see anything beyond. But one thing struck her after taking in her surroundings- she was alone.

"Sparrownote! Sparrownote, where are you?" Ivypaw called, turning in circles, trying to spot her mentor. A figure began to emerge from the mist. "Oh, Sparrownote," Ivypaw began, relieved. "I was so wor-" But the figure was not Sparrownote.

"Greetings, Ivypaw," said a silvery-blue she-cat. "I am Bluestar, a previous leader of ThunderClan." Ivypaw's eyes lit up in recognition.

Ivypaw exclaimed, "Like Firestar? He told me he was in ThunderClan, so you guys were both its leader at some point! Did you know each other? Which one of you was leader first? And where is Firestar? Is this StarClan? Because last time, StarClan was ThunderClan, and this looks _nothing_ like ThunderClan." Then, she realized she was babbling, and quietly said, "Sorry."

Bluestar purred with amusement. "No worries, Ivypaw. Actually, Firestar was my apprentice, and was the leader after me. Firestar is currently getting a whipping from his elders, because he's been going about unsupervised and without permission. And to answer your other question, this is not StarClan. This is the Great Barrier." Bluestar flicked her tail upward, and Ivypaw looked. She gasped.

The sky was alight with shimmering colors, rippling across the sky as if it was a puddle a kit had splashed in. But what caught the eye was the giant gap, where there were no colors or ripples, but a vortex not unlike a whirlpool, sucking in the colors into a strange oblivion. Ivypaw, realizing her jaw had been hanging wide open, snapped it shut.

"_That_ leads to _StarClan?_" Ivypaw said incredulously. Bluestar smiled at her, nodding.

"It looks like the only thing it would produce is chaos, but this hole in the Great Barrier is the only thing that connects the living with their ancestors. Without it, the living would be on their own." Then, Bluestar's voice took on an echoing quality. Sounding like many voices at once, she said, "Take care as you learn. You have a great destiny. You are accepted and honored by StarClan." With that, Bluestar vanished, and once again, Ivypaw's world melted away.

* * *

Ivypaw yawned and stretched. She blinked, and suddenly was wide awake. Everything rushed back as she remembered Bluestar's eerie blessing. She stretched again, and her foot came in contact with a cat. She quickly withdrew, until she saw it was Sparrownote, staring at her.

"A good night's rest?" Sparrownote said, analyzing Ivypaw's face as if she suspected she would lie.

"I... suppose you could say good. Yes, it was very, uh, very good. I slept soundly." Sparrownote gave her the evil eye and stood up.

"Well then, let's go. It's dawn, and you have some learning to do." Ivykit glanced outside the gap in the tree's trunk, and was surprised to find it _was _dawn, and the sun was peaking over the trees. Ivypaw stood up and followed Sparrownote as she jumped down. The distance didn't seem nearly as far from above, so Ivypaw had no trouble jumping. She felt foolish about her fears from the night before. But that didn't matter now. She was going to be a _Starsinger_.


	4. Chapter 4

Ivypaw killed a mouse with a swift bite to the neck. She sent a prayer to StarClan, thanking them for the food in leaf-bare, and smiled. She had a lot to be thankful for. Her training had gone so well, and she had learned so much. She knew the notes and calls of every song, and every new moon, she and Sparrownote sent their voices up to the Barrier. The Clan had yet to get whitecough, and prey wasn't as scarce as usual.

_I've hunted; I should head back to camp._ Ivypaw thought, and grabbed her prey. Starsingers learned to hunt and fight, since they could only train musically during the new moon. It had been only a few moons since Ivypaw's apprentice ceremony, but she had progressed quickly in both categories.

Ivypaw soon came into camp, and went straight to the freshkill pile. She dropped her prey there, and began to head over to the medicine cat den, where Nightpaw and Briarpaw were talking, when her ears pricked. _No, I didn't hear it right... it couldn't have been..._ But Briarpaw had heard it too, and called out, "Mistfall, Mistfall! Someone's coughing!" Mistfall practically leapt from the medicine cat den, and Ivypaw followed. Sure enough, Lightpaw was coughing hard and writhing on the floor of the apprentice den. Suddenly, Lightpaw retched.

Mistfall began spouting orders. "Briarpaw, borage leaves, catmint, feverfew, tansy and thyme. Chickweed, too, if we have any. Not all at once, they mustn't be mixed. You there, Nightpaw, help your sister get the herbs, she'll tell you which is which. You! Ivypaw, fetch your mentor. She'll need to plan some singing to StarClan. Oh, and..." Ivypaw dashed away, knowing Sparrownote was out in the forest, looking for lavender.

Ivypaw pelted through the trees, keeping her nose in the air. She caught a whiff of OwlClan floating over from the border, hunting patrol just gone by, freshly killed prey... lavender! She changed direction without pause and quickly came to a clearing. Sparrownote had her head down in the grass, plucking stems with careful precision.

"Sparrownote, Sparrownote!" Ivypaw exclaimed breathlessly. "Someone has whitecough, or maybe even greencough! I was there, and Briarpaw and Nightpaw were there, and it was Lightpaw, and she was all shaky and coughing, and then she threw up, and _that_ was really gross, and -"

"Whitecough?" Sparrownote interrupted. "I suppose they want me to sing to StarClan, then?" she added grouchily. Ivypaw nodded meekly. "Come, then. Not a moment to waste!" Ivypaw was confused.

"But, Sparrownote... don't we always sing during the new moon?" Sparrownote gave an exasperated sigh.

"Of _course_ we do! Now let's go! We have to get some freshkill so you and I can go through our journey without needing a snack break!" Ivypaw tried to piece together what Sparrownote was saying.

"We're going somewhere?" Ivypaw blinked. Sparrownote gave her the _Could you be any stupider?_ look.

"Yes," she said slowly, as if speaking to a kit. "Since you _seem_ to have forgotten, tonight we are going to the border and discussing terms with OwlClan. Remember now?" she added in a sickeningly sweet tone. At first, Ivypaw gave her a blank stare. Then it hit her. _I'd always run off as soon as our lessons were over! That's probably what she was trying to say yesterday before I went off with Nightpaw and Briarpaw! _Now Ivypaw regretted being so brash, especially when she and Sparrownote weren't on the best of terms. She hadn't know _she_, an apprentice, would be going to the meeting with OwlClan on Starsingers. Now that she thought about it, it made sense, since she _was_ a Starsinger, but she had completely blown it!

Defeated, she headed back with Sparrownote to camp. She no longer heard coughing, which she hoped was a good thing. The freshkill pile looked more meager than before, and Ivypaw saw only a few birds, two mice, and a skinny vole to choose from. She selected a mouse and ate, hardly tasting the meat. Sparrownote grabbed the other mouse, but went over to the medicine cat den to talk to Mistfall instead of sharing tongues with her apprentice. Ivypaw sighed after swallowing the last bit of mouse and stared at the ground, hoping to see something that would solve her problems. _This is going to be a long day._

"Hey, Ivypaw. Someone looks down." Ivypaw looked up to see Briarpaw. She managed a weak smile, but knew it wasn't convincing. She sighed again.

"Hey, Briarpaw. You mind eating with me?" Briarpaw smiled, went over to the freshkill pile, grabbed some pathetic bird that appeared to be a starling, and came back over to Ivypaw. Ivypaw's smile was stronger this time. _At least _**_she_** _wants to eat with me._

"So," Briarpaw said between mouthfuls, "Why do you seem so down? You've told Nightpaw and me how well your training's going. You're usually the cheerful one!" Ivypaw knew Briarpaw was just trying to help, but her words _didn't_ help.

"Look, Briarpaw, Sparrownote is just pushing me harder than usual, I guess. I'm fine. Stop worrying." Despite her snappy manner, Ivypaw tried to convey that Sparrownote was _pushing_ her. Briarpaw blinked in understanding.

"Sometimes it will be tough," Briarpaw said, choosing her words carefully. "But you can find strength to continue if you ignore the harshness of the teachings and focus on the joy of learning."

"Aren't you wise? But thank you. You know how much it means to me." Ivypaw said. She glanced over at Sparrownote, who was talking to Mistfall as if they were inseparable. _It'd be nice if she would treat her own apprentice like that._ She gave one last forced smile to Briarpaw, and went to rest a bit before the journey.

* * *

"Get up, lazy kit! Unfortunately, we can't leave you behind, so get moving!" Ivypaw's eyes slowly opened. She blinked away the fog and saw Sparrownote looming over her. "Get up! For StarClan's sake, move!" Ivypaw suppressed a groan and stiffly stood. Without a word, Sparrownote spun around and stormed out of the apprentice's den. Ivypaw sullenly followed. _I was right. It is definitely going to be a long day._

The trip to the border was quick and nearly silent. Ivypaw had to run to keep up with the warriors, which only increased her frustration. The trees went by so fast, Ivypaw barely considered which way they were going. They soon reached the stream, where a couple of angry-looking cats stood, along with a nervous-looking young cat.

"Greetings, Fangstar. How runs the prey?" Mintstar said in a friendly tone. A cat, whose smell of tom was so strong Ivypaw wrinkled her nose in distaste and a tooth jutted out over his lip, stepped forward.

"Don't waste your breath, Mintstar," Fangstar snarled. "Let's get this over with. OwlClan has a wish, and it is a simple one - to never have to bow to _HopeClan_ and their precious _Starsingers_ again!" Some of HopeClan's representatives gasped at Fangstar's bold statement. "HopeClan supposedly saves us from losing StarClan forever, so we can't touch their precious Starsingers. But no more! OwlClan doesn't take orders from soft-hearted cats like HopeClan. Either we get in the deal, or HopeClan loses a lot more than some cats." Ivypaw shook her head in disbelief and backed away from the edge of the stream, but Sparrownote appeared behind her and shoved her forward. Ivypaw stumbled up to the edge, shook as she regained her balance, and shrank as she realized all eyes were on her.

"Fangstar, we have told you for some time that only HopeClan possesses the ability to sing to the stars," Mintstar stated without so much as a glance at Ivypaw, keeping his gaze on Fangstar. Ivypaw sighed with relief. _Thank StarClan Mintstar would never agree to any of OwlClan's crazy demands!_ But her happiness was short-lived. "But you refuse to believe us. So, in order to prove our point, HopeClan's deputy, medicine cat, senior Starsinger and I have agreed - we will let an apprentice train alongside Ivypaw under Sparrownote. After three moons of training, we will show you the results. Agreed?" Fangstar nodded, with a half-surprised, half-smug look on his face.

"This is our candidate," Fangstar said, and the nervous apprentice hesitantly stepped up. "This is Moonpaw. Moonpaw has agreed to live among you as if he was one of your own, for the whole of the three moons." Moonpaw's eyes widened and he looked at his leader, but said nothing. Fangstar looked at him with distaste, and said, "Hurry up, kit. Go!" Moonpaw looked like he wanted to bolt, but instead shuffled over to the edge of the stream and slowly made his way across. Once he reached the other side, he threw himself down on the ground next to Ivypaw and shivered.

"Are you okay?" Ivypaw whispered to him. He did not respond, but his shivering became only slight. Mintstar turned and beckoned to the HopeClan cats. Without a word everyone went to follow. Ivypaw helped Moonpaw up, and together they headed back toward camp.

* * *

"What was Mintstar _thinking?_" Ivypaw exclaimed as she paced around the apprentice den. "Moonpaw is probably going to spy on us, and learn our weaknesses, and tell Fangstar everything! Ugh, and that sniveling mouse won't contribute anything to the fresh-kill pile other than crow-food! Imagine when Sparrownote gets to deal with him- he won't last a week!" Nightpaw and Briarpaw watched Ivypaw go back and forth, her tail lashing furiously. "I can't believe-"

"Maybe you should try to think about this differently," Briarpaw interrupted gently. "You're always saying Sparrownote works you too hard, so think of it as a way to have less of a burden."

"I don't say that!" Ivypaw replied hotly. "And what about the spying? Am I supposed to put a positive spin on that?" She began to pace even more frantically, before Briarpaw held out a paw, blocking her.

"If you're really so worried about Moonpaw discovering secrets, feed him false information. If he's as weak as you make him sound, he'll take to it like prey to a hiding spot." Nightpaw said, eyes shining with hidden meaning. She then began washing her paws. After finishing her front paws, she walked out.

"What was that?" Ivypaw said. "Nightpaw has seemed moody lately." Briarpaw sighed.

"She has a lot on her paws right now." Briarpaw left the den, but looked back and said with a flick of her tail, "I have herbs that need sorting. Nightpaw had the right idea. Prey likes a hiding spot!" Ivypaw looked at her paws as she tried to puzzle out what to do. _Moonpaw could be looking for information, so I can't let him see anything secret. But where to start? He's bound to see the Sky Tree. He'll definitely see some fighting and hunting techniques, not to mention every nook and cranny of the camp!_ Ivypaw curled up in her nest.

"I won't be able to think if I don't get rest. And maybe sleeping on it will help me solve the problem," she said aloud, as if announcing her troubles to StarClan. At that thought, she smiled. She'd have plenty of time for that in her dreams.

* * *

Moonpaw walked along HopeClan's side of the stream. Ivypaw watched, unable to speak. He yowled and cried, but no answer came from OwlClan's side. After one last sad call, he walked into the water and melted away. Ivypaw ran over to the water, but all she saw was her rippling reflection. The ripples made her picture waver, and her face became Brokenheart's.

"What? No!" Ivypaw backed away from the water. Then Brokenheart sprang from the water and clawed the air, shredding the image of HopeClan territory. Nightpaw leapt from the trees that remained and attacked him. They rolled and wrestled, without a clear victor. "Nightpaw!" Ivypaw cried, but no one could hear her. There was only her and the blood. The blood...

* * *

"Nightpaw!" Ivypaw screamed as she awoke.

"What? What?" Nightpaw said blearily, stretching out. "Couldn't you tell I was having a good dream?"

"A good dream?" Ivypaw repeated stupidly. _A dream..._ It had been nothing but a dream. "Sorry, Nightpaw. I didn't mean to wake you." Nightpaw yawned.

"Eh, it's all right. Besides, I would've woken only a few minutes later. See, it's dawn! I have a patrol to do! See you later." Nightpaw walked by Ivypaw, her tail flicking Ivypaw's nose.

"Nightpaw! Fox dung," Ivypaw said as Nightpaw left without turning around. She decided to get up since it was dawn. Today, Moonpaw would train beside her. Ivypaw had so many problems, and she didn't know where to start! But she did know one thing:

An even bigger problem was going to come... _soon._


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, like this?" Moonpaw asked. He focused his gaze on Ivypaw, and crouched. Ivypaw stared back at him, giving nothing away. Moonpaw tensed, and his eyes darted away to the left before he feinted to his right. Ivypaw caught him easily, pinning him down practically with one paw. She rolled her eyes; Moonpaw had been here a week, and he still flopped like a fish out of water.

"No, not like that," Sparrownote said gently. She took a battle position, facing Ivypaw. "You can't give anything away before making your move. You just need to keep your eyes in the right direction and your muscles relaxed, waiting for the right moment..." She watched Ivypaw. Without warning, she pounced, landing on Ivypaw so hard that all the wind was knocked out of her. Ivypaw gasped at the impact. "And then you strike. See?" Moonpaw nodded nervously.

"Sparrownote, can I please breathe?" Ivypaw choked out. Sparrownote got off of her, and Ivypaw shuddered as she drew in air once more. Moonpaw began to crouch again, but Sparrownote flicked her tail.

"No, we're done training for the day," she said. "Get some freshkill or something, Moonpaw. Ivypaw and I have things to do." Moonpaw looked hurt.

"But I'm supposed to-"

"Yes, yes, Moonpaw," Sparrownote interrupted. "This isn't Starsinger stuff, though - it's just that Ivypaw and I need to have a talk. Okay?" Moonpaw nodded hastily. "Good. I'm glad you understand." With that, Sparrownote wrapped her tail around Ivypaw's neck and began walking, forcing Ivypaw to follow.

"Sparrownote-" Ivypaw began.

"What were you thinking?" Sparrownote hissed. "He's a guest; we can't create hostilities between the Clans."

"He's supposed to act like one of us," Ivypaw countered. "And if I go gentle on him in training, he won't learn anything!"

"It seems you have a lot to learn," Sparrownote said as she leaned into Ivypaw's face. "Because it looks like you still need to learn _respect_." Ivypaw shrank back, and not only because of the overpowering stench of Sparrownote's breath. Ivypaw hissed at Sparrownote before darting out from under her and running blindly into the surrounding trees.

"Ivypaw!" Sparrownote yowled. But Ivypaw kept running. She paid no attention to direction, only ran until she couldn't continue. As she slowed, she realized her paws had taken her to the stream. She panted as she walked all the way to the edge and lay. She stared into the water, wishing for an answer. But when the image appeared, it wasn't the answer she wanted.

Nightpaw stood, alone. She looked around, and her face lit with alarm. Suddenly, the image was shredded, with clawed gashes marking it before it fell apart. The only thing left was a heart, which fell apart, broken.

Ivypaw looked away, unable to bear the sight of it. She curled up, hiding her head behind her tail. _Oh, StarClan... What are you trying to tell me?_

* * *

The rain was coming down so hard, Ivypaw could barely move to get to the safety of the trees. Her pelt was soaked in an instant. As soon as she reached the trees, she heard a wail. She turned around to see a kit flailing in the stream's overflowing current. Without a moment's thought, Ivypaw ran against the rain to the bank and dove in. She came up, gasping both for air and because of the cold. The kit floated near her and she grabbed it by the scruff. As she struggled to keep her head above the water and continue breathing, she caught a whiff of the kit's scent. _OwlClan!_

"I want Maplewing!" the kit cried. Ivypaw began to tell the kit it was alright, but a wave of water swept into her open mouth and it came out as a splutter. Then she saw a figure on HopeClan's shore.

"Help!" she called as she came up to the surface. "It's Ivypaw!" She went back under. Something grabbed her by her scruff. She was pulled up onto the bank, still holding the kit in her jaws. "Thank you!" she said gratefully after coughing up all the water she had swallowed.

"Anytime," said a familiar voice. Ivypaw blinked away the rain in her eyes.

"Nightpaw?" she said with surprise.

"That's me," Nightpaw replied. "Everyone is worried about you. Where did you go?" Just then, the kit spoke up.

"I want Maplewing! I want to go home. It stinks here, and you smell yucky!" Ivypaw and Nightpaw exchanged looks.

"Look, little one," Ivypaw soothed. "We're going to a safe and dry place, where we can help get you home. There might even be some spare honey we can share." The kit perked up at the lie. The kit walked behind them as they headed toward camp, refusing to be carried. Nightpaw and Ivypaw had a quiet conversation as the kit lagged behind, constantly stopping to sniff something or take a brief rest.

"You have a way with kits," Nightpaw commented. "Have you thought about your own?" Ivypaw was taken aback.

"I'm a bit young for that!" she laughed. "Besides, I only get one, remember? Or maybe not even that! Sparrownote never found her soulmate. Although, I suppose if she had, Briarpaw wouldn't be the medicine cat apprentice." Nightpaw nodded thoughtfully.

"You know," she said suddenly. "I was supposed to be the next Starsinger." This was new to Ivypaw. "Brokenheart was terribly upset the day I was born. Of course, Silverleaf died, but..." Ivypaw was confused, but she thought she saw what Nightpaw was hinting at.

"You mean that Brokenheart was angry because you weren't a Starsinger?" she said quietly. Before Nightpaw could reply, the kit bounced up.

"Can I eat these?" the kit squeaked, and pointed at a bush of shiny red deathberries. The kit's mouth opened, poised over the berries.

"No!" Ivypaw and Nightpaw shouted in unison.

"Okay," the kit said, and walked over to a tree to pounce on a falling leaf. Ivypaw smiled as she remembered how she used to do that. Neither she-cat said another word on the way to camp.

* * *

"We'll return Ashkit as soon as the storm lets up and the stream is no longer dangerous to cross," Mintstar decided. "Good job, you two. You did the right thing, rescuing the kit. Nightpaw, you better get Mistfall to look at your scratches. I'm not sure how you got those during your trek, but we don't want them to get infected!" Nightpaw nodded and headed towards the medicine cat's den. Ivypaw was left alone with Mintstar. Mintstar examined her curiously.

"What were you doing out in the storm like that?" she asked. "You haven't told me all of the details, I'm sure." Ivypaw scuffed her paws as she tried to think of an excuse. Mintstar gave her a knowing look. "All right, keep your secrets. But, Ivypaw," she added as Ivypaw turned to leave. "I'd advise you to be careful with Sparrownote. She's not in a good mood. Although I can speculate as to why..." Ivypaw blinked at the advice.

"Thank you, Mintstar," she said carefully. "Has Sparrownote mentioned anything about... Moonpaw to you, by chance?" Mintstar looked at her strangely.

"You shouldn't ask about things that aren't your business," Mintstar chided. "But if you must know, Sparrownote has brought it up." Mintstar's answer only confused Ivypaw more, but she did not show it.

"Thank you, again." she said, and left the den.

* * *

"How _did_ you get those scratches?" Ivypaw asked Nightpaw as they grabbed freshkill. Nightpaw quickly took a bite out of her starling, and chewed slowly. After she swallowed, she licked her paws several times before replying.

"Come on, Ivypaw, we went through the _forest_," Nightpaw said in a dismissive tone. "Did you expect it to be bramble-free? You're making a rabbit hole into a fox den, or whatever the elders say. And besides, they're so small, they probably look like ripples on my pelt."

"Yeah, if your fur was _red,_" Ivypaw argued. "What are you hiding? Something's up, and I'm sick of being in the dark. I thought I was your friend!" Nightpaw reeled back. She regained her composure quickly, but her eyes burned with anger.

"What kind of friend pesters and whines because she thinks she doesn't know something?" Nightpaw hissed. "Nothing's up! If you get edgy over a few scratches, then maybe you aren't my friend after all!" Nightpaw stalked away, leaving her freshkill in the dirt. Ivypaw could only stare as Nightpaw vanished into the medicine den. Then she groaned inwardly. _How could I have been so insensitive? As if I don't have enough problems! I keep ticking off more and more cats. Who's next?_ Ivypaw was lost in thought until a tail batted her face.

"Hey!" she exclaimed indignantly. "What was that?"

"It was me!" Stormkit said, popping up. "Guess what guess what guess what? I'm gonna be an apprentice tomorrow!" Ivypaw blinked as the information registered.

"Oh, that's great!" she replied as soon as she processed it. She had completely forgotten about her sibling in her training. She wondered if Stormkit had ever felt neglected. Then she shook the thought off. _Stormkit is too bubbly for that._ She purred as Stormkit bounced around, pouncing on random things, including Ivypaw's tail.

"I'll be the best warrior ever, just like you'll be the best Starsinger ever!" Stormkit declared. Ivypaw smiled. As Stormkit paraded around, pretending to be a fierce warrior, Ivypaw wondered what had happened to herself. _I used to be that kit. Where did that go?...Am I better off without it?_

* * *

Moonpaw mumbled in his sleep. _Again._ Ivypaw pulled her tail over her ears, but she still couldn't sleep. Nightpaw had distanced herself from Ivypaw, so she was unshielded from Moonpaw and his restlessness. Ivypaw decided that a walk would calm her nerves. She got up, and as she tiptoed around the other apprentices, she realized Nightpaw wasn't there at all!

Ivypaw sniffed the air and caught a faint wisp of Nightpaw's scent. She followed the trail as best as she could, sneaking through camp with barely a sound. Soon the trail took her into the forest. The trail became stronger, and Ivypaw realized the scent was getting fresher. She thought about running, but she didn't want to alert Nightpaw to her presence, so she simply sped up her walking.

She approached a clearing when the smell of another cat hit her. _Brokenheart!_ She kept low and peered through the slim gaps of a nearby bush to see what was taking place.

"It's not my fault!" Nightpaw said, as her father faced her. "I can't help being who I am!" Nightpaw hissed as her father swiped at her.

"_You_ killed her! You betrayed your family!" Brokenheart growled as he continued to attack Nightpaw. Nightpaw continued to back away, and Brokenheart continued to advance.

"How can you say that?" Nightpaw cried with despair in her voice. "Am I not your daughter anymore?" She gasped with pain as one of Brokenheart's attacks hit its mark.

"No." Brokenheart's voice was cold. "You are not." Nightpaw's eyes widened, and Brokenheart moved in, blocking Ivypaw's view. Ivypaw looked away, unable to stand anymore. _How can Brokenheart be so cruel?_ Looking back, it made Ivypaw's problem with her mother seem like a childish argument over freshkill.

Ivypaw almost gagged as the smell of blood hit her. She slunk away from the edge of the clearing, and once she could not smell the scent of either cat, she ran as hard as she could to camp.

"Mistfall! Briarpaw!" she cried as soon as she reached the medicine cat den, ignoring the danger of waking the camp. Briarpaw, who had been curled up by the entrance, woke up instantly.

"What is it, Ivypaw?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Nightpaw's been hurt. Out in the forest!" Ivypaw looked Briarpaw in the eye, trying to convey her meaning without words. Briarpaw nodded, understanding.

"How bad are the wounds?" Briarpaw asked quietly. "Or did you not see?" Ivypaw glanced around, wondering if it was okay to discuss it out in the open.

"It was mostly swiping and missing, but one got her on the shoulder, I think," Ivypaw whispered. Briarpaw rushed into the back of the medicine den, mumbling as she grabbed herbs.

"I've got alder, maybe burdock - leaves or roots? Oh, both, I don't know if it's infected. I don't know if I have time to make a goldenrod poultice, I might just take cobwebs..." After some rummaging, Briarleaf had all the herbs she wanted, and beckoned to Ivypaw with her tail.

"Lef go!" she mumbled through a mouthful of herbs. The two cats headed into the forest. When they arrived at the spot, both were shocked to see neither cat in sight. Ivypaw stepped out into the clearing.

"A trail of blood!" she gasped. "What has he done?" They cautiously followed the sticky trail, until they found Nightpaw. She was laying in the bushes, groaning weakly as she tried to stand.

"Don't move," Briarpaw instructed, calmly laying out all of her herbs. "This may take a while."

* * *

"Thank you for finding me," Nightpaw said weakly to Ivypaw as she lay in the medicine den.

"What are friends for?" Ivypaw smiled. Then she took a deep breath, before finally saying what she had been holding in. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was nosy, and I pestered you, and tried to get you to tell me your secret. I shouldn't have; I should have let it be." Nightpaw shook her head slowly.

"No," she said, her voice stronger. "I was being a mouse-brain. I should have told someone... maybe then I wouldn't be in this mess." Ivypaw couldn't argue with that. It was what she had been thinking. But it brought her to the question she had wanted to ask.

"Nightpaw," she began. "No one is going to believe these wounds came from a badger. What I want to know is... what are you going to tell the Clan?"


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't tell them the truth," Nightpaw said. "Imagine what would happen if the Clan found out that one of their strongest warriors had gone mad!"

"That's the point!" Ivypaw argued. "He's _mad!_ It will cause more harm than good if you hide it. You should take the matter to Mintstar before the Clan sees." Nightpaw sighed.

"Ivypaw," she began. "If you were Mintstar, what would you do? Your best warrior attacks his daughter, but is still fit for duty. None of it interferes with the Clan's well-being, and if you face him, he will most likely attack. Would you really risk the pain just to help an apprentice?"

"What Brokenheart is doing is wrong! There has to be something in the warrior code!" Ivypaw was both furious and shocked. _Why is Brokenheart doing this, and why isn't Nightpaw fighting back?_

"Brokenheart has done nothing directly defying the code," Nightpaw pointed out. "He hasn't killed me, and he is still defending the Clan. Knowing him, he could probably get away with claiming to be training me 'realistically'!" Ivypaw wanted to continue arguing, but she hadn't learned the warrior code like Nightpaw had, and she knew what Nightpaw said was true.

"Fine," Ivypaw sighed. "I won't tell anyone. But you have to do something! You can't just keep taking it." Nightpaw's eyes glazed over as she became lost in thought.

"I _will_ do something, but be patient," she said finally. "This is my battle. I need to be the one to deal with it." Ivypaw bit back a reply and nodded. As the two sat together in silence, Briarpaw rushed over.

"Ivypaw! Nightpaw needs to rest!" Briarpaw shooed Ivypaw away and began to tend to her sister. Ivypaw headed back to the apprentice den, quietly slipping into her nest. It felt strange to go to sleep after such events. Ivypaw curled up, trying to let sleep wash over her. But the quiet pressed on her. _The quiet?_ Ivypaw lifted her head, and looked over to discover that Moonpaw was gone! Ivypaw groaned inwardly. _Another cat I have to look for._ _Better get it over with._

Ivypaw got up, tasting the air for Moonpaw. It was fairly fresh –only a few hours old, Ivypaw realized as she thought of how long she had been out– so it was easy to find. She once again stepped over the sleeping bodies, carefully avoiding tails and outstretched paws. Once out, she bolted for the forest. She kept her nose in the air, always catching each twist the scent trail took. As the scent became stronger, she ran faster, until she ran straight into Moonpaw.

The two tumbled until their tangled limbs hit a tree. As they separated themselves, Ivypaw noticed a small pile of freshkill in the nook between two roots. She also caught the scent of mouse on Moonpaw.

"Did _you_ collect this?" she asked him incredulously. Moonpaw scuffed his paws on the ground.

"Yeah... I- I just wanted to, um, practice hunting..." Moonpaw stuttered. Ivypaw looked at him skeptically. Moonpaw continued to grow more and more nervous. Ivypaw didn't relent. Finally, Moonpaw gave in.

"Okay!" he blurted. "There's this... she-cat, and I, uh..." Ivypaw's eyes widened, and she burst out laughing. Moonpaw seemed to turn red, and Ivypaw tried to control herself.

"I'm sorry," she gasped through tears. "It's just... _you!_ And a she-cat, oh, StarClan, it's... I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Ivypaw tried to regulate her breathing. She took deep breaths and calmed herself, but couldn't keep down a smile.

"It's not _that_ funny," Moonpaw mumbled. Ivypaw gave him a look. Moonpaw stared at the ground.

"Come on," Ivypaw teased. "Spill! Who's the lucky she-cat?" Moonpaw didn't look up as he mumbled incoherently. Ivypaw walked over to him and nudged him.

"You can trust me," she said. "I won't tell. I swear to StarClan." Moonpaw looked up into her eyes. He backed away, and sat down with a sigh before looking up at her.

"Is it wrong," he began, "to love someone from another Clan?" Ivypaw blinked. _I forgot Moonpaw is from OwlClan!_ Moonpaw looked at her sadly, his eyes shining with faint hope and something else, something Ivypaw had never seen before. Moonpaw's gaze slipped away, and he sighed once more.

"Oh, Moonpaw..." Ivypaw said softly. She thought about what she knew. You weren't supposed to mate with cats from another Clan, but she was always being told to go for what you knew was right in your heart. Then again, Moonpaw wasn't a very attractive mate, but... Ivypaw almost gasped. She had found a loophole! Moonpaw looked up at her sudden breath. Ivypaw nudged him until he stood on his feet. Moonpaw gave her a questioning look.

"Oh, Moonpaw," Ivypaw repeated breathlessly, "Remember what the leaders agreed upon! You're supposed to act like you are one of this Clan until OwlClan reclaims you. So you have a chance with this girl!" Moonpaw's eyes widened, and for a moment, he seemed lost.

"Really?" he said quietly, his eyes begging for the answer. Ivypaw nodded so fiercely, her neck hurt.

"Yes."

* * *

Ivypaw woke up once more, once again without Nightpaw's comforting warmth. Her back ached and her eyes drooped sleepily, but she stretched and got up anyway. As she blinked away as much sleep as she could, she discovered the den was empty. The sun shone down brightly through small cracks in the den walls, and she realized that she had lost much of the night to her adventures, and some of the day as well. The rest of her began to wake up, and soon her ears caught the sound of normal Clan activity: Boulderclaw scolding Emberwing for moving so much with a belly of kits; Shivertail and Shadowleap arguing quietly, as they often did; Stormkit bouncing off the walls of the nursery, and Dewshine's gentle chides. _Gentle,_ Ivypaw thought gloomily.

Her thoughts were interrupted by another sound: Sparrownote and Moonpaw's voices whispering outside the apprentice den. Ivypaw's ears pricked as she listened.

"Sparrownote, I swear to StarClan I caught it by myself!"

"Hush, apprentice! Even I have been unable to ignore how useless you are at everything! And since when does an apprentice from another Clan work so hard? I want to know your motives!"

"M-motives? B-but I-"

"No excuses! Were you trying to sneak some to your Clan, perhaps? Or maybe trying to impress Mintstar? Tell me the truth!"

Ivypaw's jaw dropped. _What in the name of StarClan is Sparrownote doing?_ But the only sound that came after was a small whimper and the scuffling of paws; Sparrownote must be dragging Moonpaw away to somewhere more private. Ivypaw held her breath for a few seconds, then exhaled as she cautiously emerged from the apprentice den. Nothing was out of place– Boulderclaw was nudging Emberwing into the nursery; Shadowleap and Shivertail were still arguing by the warriors den, although decidedly less heatedly; and Stormkit was withstanding a fierce grooming from Dewshine. Ivypaw looked around, but there was no sign of Moonpaw or Sparrownote.

"Ifypawf, juf the cat I wanfed to fee!" exclaimed a voice, interrupting Ivypaw's thoughts. Ivypaw turned to see a beaming Briarpaw, her mouth once again full of herbs. Her swishing tail beckoned Ivypaw, and Ivypaw followed Briarpaw to the medicine cat den.

"Mouse dung!" swore a voice from inside the den. As Briarpaw and Ivypaw entered, a sleek brown body tumbled to their paws. The body picked itself up, revealing it to be Nightpaw. "Ugh, I swear to StarClan, I'm going to die in here– not from wounds, but from boredom!" Despite the angry outburst, Ivypaw purred with pleasure.

"Nightpaw, you look so much better!" Ivypaw exclaimed, marveling at the fact that Nightpaw was already standing on her own four feet after her harsh encounter with her father. Nightpaw shrugged as she plopped herself down.

"I wasn't that bad in the first place-" At that, both Briarpaw and Ivypaw gave her evil glares, but Nightpaw continued without noticing. "-But I am definitely better. Other than the fact that I keep tripping. My balance stinks like fox breath." Briarpaw immediately raced over to her side and began looking her over. Nightpaw rolled her eyes. Ivypaw grinned at Nightpaw. It was nice to know there was _something_ normal in her world; Ivypaw couldn't see there ever being a day Nightpaw gave a mouse tail about an injury.

Having completed her inspection, Briarpaw resumed her place beside Ivypaw. "It's normal for limbs to feel weakened after a period of dormancy," Briarpaw announced, allowing Nightpaw to sit up hopefully before she continued, "But to be safe, I want you to stay here, take it easy, and have Mistfall check it out." Ivypaw and Nightpaw groaned simultaneously.

"Doesn't having me stay here and do nothing defeat the purpose of my legs getting better?" Nightpaw pointed out. For a moment, Briarpaw was speechless. Then she lashed out.

"Only if your legs are simply weak from lack of use!" Briarpaw snapped. "If you have an infection or something, you could really get hurt! Why can't you ever think about yourself like I think about you?" With that, Briarpaw stormed out of the medicine cat den, leaving Nightpaw and Ivypaw in stunned silence.

"Is she mad at you?" Ivypaw said tentatively, unsure if she should ask. Nightpaw sighed.

"I think she's just worried about me," Nightpaw said, scuffing her paws on the ground. "I'll talk to her later. But I need to, um... check with Mistfall... I'm sorry, I have to go!" Nightpaw ran out of the den, hardly showing her awkward balance. Ivypaw was deserted. Ivypaw looked around, wondering how events happened so fast. Blinking away sudden tears, she thought miserably, _Why is this happening?_

* * *

"Stormkit, from this day forward until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stormpaw," Mintstar said as Stormpaw tried to keep from bouncing up and down with excitement. "May you train well and reach the life you are destined for. Brokenheart, it has been too long since you have trained an apprentice. May you pass on your determination and courage to Stormpaw." Ivypaw's jaw nearly hit the ground as Brokenheart and Stormpaw touched noses, and everyone else chanted Stormpaw's name. _Not Brokenheart... Why Brokenheart?_

"How dare you show such disrespect!" hissed a voice in her ear, hot air warming her neck fur. Ivypaw jumped, only to realize it was Dewshine. She realized how she must seem, being the only one not calling out her sister's name, when Dewshine whispered again.

"Your sister is going to have a good life as a warrior, and I will not let you ruin it for her! It's time to stop being a self-centered kit. Ivypaw, make one slip-up, one shot at hurting her, and you won't need to be jealous of her anymore. Stay away from Stormpaw... _or else_." The ominous warning rung in Ivypaw's ears. She struggled to breathe, even as more and more cats began to stare at her. The hot breath on her neck vanished, and Ivypaw's vision began to blur. Her thoughts became more and more clouded. A sound dimly pierced the fog. Was that her name? Her name...

Ivypaw tried to understand what was happening. There was so much movement. All the noise hurt her ears. Colors were blending together. Suddenly, she realized someone was pushing on her chest. When had she fallen? The ground was hard. But it was somehow cozy. She was tired. So tired... Was she forgetting something? The paws kept pushing.

The world snapped into perspective. Ivypaw's blurry vision instantly cleared, her hearing undulled. She gasped as the paws squeezed a shuddering breath out of her. The faces above her gained recognition.

"Stormkit? Nightkit? Briarkit?" Ivypaw said in a confused daze, trying to figure out why an OwlClan stranger was above her as well. Without warning, her sides heaved, and the clear world she had seen vanished. Everything vanished. Ivypaw was lost to a sea of black.


	7. Chapter 7

Ivykit blinked sleepily as the world came back into focus. The next sense to return was her sense of smell, and the sweet but dusty scent of herbs filled her nostrils. Ivykit coughed and tried to sit up. Suddenly, Briarkit rushed over to her.

"No, no, no! Sit!" she chided her. Ivykit was confused, but sat down anyway. After she did, Briarkit watched her for a few more seconds, as if unsure whether she would stay, then walked away and began to go through herb stores. _Why is Briarkit in the medicine den? Why am **I**__ in the medicine den?_

"Briarkit?" Ivykit said tentatively. Briarkit whirled around.

"What did you say?" Briarkit asked, sounding almost scared. This confused Ivykit even more.

"Your name, of course," she replied. Briarkit's eyes widened.

"But Ivypaw... I'm Briar_paw._" Ivykit blinked. _What is going on?_

"How long was I asleep in those woods?" Ivykit said, feeling lost. Now it was Briarkit's turn to blink blankly.

"Woods? But... but you... at Stormpaw's ceremony..." Briarkit trailed off, her eyes brimming with worry. She turned back to her herbs to withdraw a bundle of leaves. "Eat these. They're thyme and snakeroot. Go on, they don't bite." Ivykit stared at the herbs where Briarkit had gently laid them.

"Did Mistfall ask you to help?" Briarkit watched Ivykit's face.

"Of course she did. I'm her apprentice." Ivykit's eyes widened. Suddenly, she wanted to break down and cry. Why was everything so different? Briarkit saw the look on her face.

"Shhh," she soothed. "Ivypaw, just eat the herbs. You'll feel better, I promise." Ivykit nodded mutely and lowered her muzzle to eat the herbs. The taste was bitter, and as she lapped them up, she thought of the rich flavor of squirrel. Like the one she had been chasing in the woods. Until... what? She had been sleeping, and now...

"Briarki- Briarpaw?" Ivykit said tentatively. In an instant, Briarkit- no, Briar_paw_- was at her side. "When did we become apprentices?" Briarpaw looked a little surprised, but she quickly composed herself.

"Three moons ago," she said in a gentle tone. Ivykit- _Ivypaw_- couldn't hold it in any longer. She broke down and bawled like the kit she had thought she was. Briarpaw nuzzled her comfortingly, laying her tail on Ivypaw's shoulder. "Why don't you have some poppy seeds and rest? You're sick, but I promise we'll make you better." Ivypaw nodded tearfully. Briarpaw fetched the herbs, and Ivypaw had them down in a heartbeat. Ivypaw curled up, and Briarpaw lay down beside her. Ivypaw felt her eyelids grow heavy. Before she closed them, she spoke one last thought.

"Why me?" she murmured to Briarpaw. "Why only me, and why now?" Briarpaw nestled close, but Ivypaw knew she would be gone when she woke up.

"I don't know, Ivypaw," she said after a pause. "But I'm going to find out... I promise."

* * *

Ivypaw's eyes flew open. She was in the medicine cat den, alone. Everything came flooding back; Stormpaw becoming Brokenheart's apprentice, Dewshine's dark promise... and everything going black. Then, more memories. She hadn't remembered the last three moons! She had forgotten her own apprentice ceremony! Ivypaw bolted up, feeling an urge to tell Briarpaw that she remembered now. She remembered!

Ivypaw raced out of the den, parting her jaws to scent out Briarpaw. Just when she thought she had caught the scent, she collided with a gray body.

"Ivypaw! Are you okay?" Moonpaw exclaimed. "Oh, StarClan, I'm sorry!" Ivypaw got up with ease and rubbed against him, purring.

"It's good to see you, Moonpaw!" Ivypaw kept up a friendly manner, but inside, she felt hollow. _I forgot about Moonpaw! An entire person in my life, a blank!_

"Shouldn't you be in the medicine cat den?" Moonpaw said with confusion. "I mean, since you- you know..." Ivypaw shrugged uncomfortably; just another reminder that something was wrong. Suddenly, Ivypaw stiffened; she needed to find Briarpaw!

"Uh, Moonpaw, I need to-" she began. Moonpaw looked hurt, but she pushed her sympathy aside. "I need to find Briarpaw, okay? But if it's alright, you'll come see me later?" Moonpaw nodded, looking a little more cheerful. Ivypaw, now less guilty, gave him one last smile and then followed the scent that had lingered in the air. Not far into the woods, she found Briarpaw inspecting some plants that had small, fluffy green seeds.

"Briarpaw!" Ivypaw exclaimed. Briarpaw started at the sound of her voice.

"Ivypaw!" she said with surprise. In a more stern tone, she added, "You shouldn't be out here! You need to stay in the medici-"

"But I remember!" Ivypaw broke in breathlessly. "My memory is back!" Briarpaw was silent. Then her face broke out in a smile.

"That's great!" she said. But Ivypaw noticed that there was no gleam in her eye, no solid sincerity behind the words. Ivypaw opened her mouth to speak, then shut it. _Will she tell me what's wrong? _Briarpaw shifted uncomfortably, bringing Ivypaw out of her thoughts. "Well, if you feel like you're better, I guess... I think you should check with Mistfall, you know... just in case." Ivypaw shrugged, trying to pretend that it was no big deal. But wasn't it? Briarpaw was one of her best friends- she should confide in her, not tiptoe around her like a kit! Crises didn't change that... did they?

Ivypaw walked away, wondering why she had been such a hurry anyway. As her paws padded back towards camp, she felt more alone and confused than ever. She saw the entrance to camp and started to move a little faster.

The attack struck without warning.

At first, it was a nagging pain that throbbed slightly behind her eyelids. But it swiftly increased, becoming a pounding that felt like it would shatter her skull. Ivypaw fell to the ground, unable to stand.

"Stop it!" she screamed blindly. "STOP!" The pain was horrible, and for a moment, she truly believed she was going to die. As if obeying her pleas, it stopped. Then her world went red, and finally, black.

* * *

Ivykit woke up in the medicine den. For some reason, it didn't feel like the first time... Briarkit and Mistfall were quietly discussing something at the opposite end of the den. Ivykit strained her ears, but only caught phrases that meant nothing to her. "Feverfew... headaches, and..." "Did she..." "No, but...definite nerves, juniper berries... bellyaches, too..." "What if... poison, then... stinging nettle, I... already tried snakeroot..."

"I'm awake," Ivykit said hoarsely, wondering why her throat was dry. The heads that had been put together snapped up at the same time, looking at her with the same strange expression. "StarClan, I feel like fox dung." Briarkit grabbed herbs in her mouth and hurried over to Ivykit.

"This is feverfew," she said as she lay the herbs on the ground, pointing at small, daisy-like flowers with her tail. "It'll help with your headache." Ivykit blinked in confusion.

"Briarkit, did Mistfall ask you to help?" she said, wondering how anyone had found her in the woods. Briarkit froze. Mistfall walked over to her and lay a comforting tail on her shoulder. "Is something wrong?" Mistfall gave her a dark look as Briarkit burst into tears, then returned her attention to Briarkit.

"Hush, apprentice," she said in a gentle tone. "It's not your fault. And I believe _you_ can find the solution. I need you, Briarpaw." Ivykit wanted to say something, but held back.

"But," Briarkit sniffled, her eyes wide and teary. "But what if she never gets better? What if only half the time she remembers things? Or less? What if she stops remembering altogether?" Ivykit blinked and slowly backed away. _Are they talking about ME?_ Mistfall glanced at her, and with a hard look in her eyes, turned back to Briarkit. Ivykit couldn't stand it anymore. She ran out of the den with tears streaming from her own eyes. All of the sudden, she collided with a cat.

"Ouch!" exclaimed the ball of gray fur. Ivykit began to apologize, but as the wind shifted, her nose caught the scent of OwlClan! Her fur puffed up in anger. "We need to stop meeting like this!" The stranger said it jokingly, but Ivykit was in no mood for humor.

"_Meeting?_" she spat, hackles raised. "What are you doing here, OwlClan filth?" The stranger's bright blue eyes widened, and he shook his head feverishly, as if trying to shake off something.

"No, no, no," he said, backing away. "You can't- I mean, how- It's not my fault!" The OwlClan cat ran away, pushing past startled cats. Among them was Nightkit, with strange scratches running down her flank.

"Ivypaw, what's happening? What did you say to Moonpaw?" Nightkit said to her, as if Ivykit hadn't just been approached by a stranger- an OwlClan cat, no less- and been treated as if they had known each other and were friends. And why did cats keep calling her Ivypaw?

"Nightkit, why is there an OwlClan cat in camp?" Ivykit said, hoping to get some answers. Nightkit blinked, then shook her head sadly.

"I knew Briarpaw had said, but that it's really happened..." Nightkit looked at her with a distant expression, and murmured softly, "How do you forget three moons of your life?" With that, she walked away, tail almost drooping. Ivykit was speechless. What was wrong with everyone?

In a daze, she walked into the apprentice den and curled up. Maybe sleep would bring the answers...

* * *

"Get up, Ivypaw," Briarpaw's voice said softly. "You can't sleep in here. Someone might get what you have." Ivypaw blinked sleepily.

"But, Briarpaw... I'm so tired..." It was true. Everything in her body ached, and little bits of memory flashed in her head. She wasn't sure, but she thought she had fought with Moonpaw. However, as she looked up at Briarpaw, the medicine cat apprentice seemed to brighten a little.

"You can sleep in the medicine den," she said soothingly. "There, we have herbs to help you feel better, and maybe Mistfall will let you have honey, or even catmint!" Ivypaw wanted to roll over and sleep, but instead, she forced herself to her feet. As she untucked her head from her legs, Briarpaw gave a gasp.

"What? What is it?" Ivypaw said, a little more alert. Briarpaw stared.

"Ivypaw..." she said almost with horror. "Your bangs... your music note is gone!"


	8. Chapter 8

"No," Ivypaw whispered with horror. "It can't be." Briarpaw was still gaping.

"Your bangs... They're completely white!" Ivypaw bolted up.

"How could this happen?" she said with shock. Briarpaw shook her head. Ivypaw moved her tail to lay it comfortingly on her shoulders, but Briarpaw shied away.

"Go to the medicine den," Briarpaw said, refusing to look her in the eye. When she didn't move, she said in a harsh tone, "Now!" Ivypaw walked away, tail drooping. Her head was a sea of thoughts. Among them was Briarpaw, herself, and... _Moonpaw_. StarClan, that was the most confusing part. She hadn't recognized him, and he's been upset... but something was missing. He had said something that had made no sense... but what?

As she walked into the medicine den, Mistfall looked up from sorting herbs. Mistfall's expression was unreadable, and she soon turned back to the herbs. Even as she sorted, she spoke.

"I just had a visitor who had some interesting things to say... about _you_." Despite her dejection, Ivypaw's curiosity was peaked.

"Who?" she responded, thinking she knew the answer. Mistfall divided a pile of berries from a small amount of leaves with her paw.

"Moonpaw." Mistfall's eyes never moved from the herbs, but the way she twitched her tail suggested she was amused. "That boy certainly fell far from the tree when it comes to his father. He was so concerned for you, and wanted to know if we knew what the... _illness_ was." Ivypaw was impatient.

"The point being?" she prompted. Mistfall ignored her interjection.

"When I told him 'no', he launched into this story about how it had happened back in OwlClan; an epidemic, he said. But it just so happened that they found a cure... a new herb called blackroot. Appropriately, this plant has thick, black roots that are near impossible to get out of the ground. But once you do, you've got the solution to your... _illness_." Ivypaw's jaw fell.

"There's a cure?" For some reason, it hadn't seemed possible. It hadn't felt like a disease that had a cure; it hadn't felt like a disease at all! More like... some reaction to everything that had happened to her lately, all the confusion and drama.

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Mistfall's sassy tone brought Ivypaw down from the clouds. "With any luck, your malady will be gone in days." Ivypaw brightened. "However... Moonpaw hasn't a clue where the herb was found, and harvesting it was supposedly very difficult." Ivypaw slumped.

"Well, I guess I should thank Moonpaw anyway," Ivypaw said glumly.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that," came Mistfall's reply. "He's gone back over to Owlclan to ask Harpycry about it." Ivypaw couldn't suppress a gasp.

"OwlClan's medicine cat?" she whispered fearfully. Mistfall nodded as she picked up a poultice and proceeded to carry it to the other side of the den. "Isn't she the one who... you know?" Mistfall's laugh carried across the den.

"Don't be so shy about it, Ivypaw," she said, returning to the stack of herbs. "Yes, Harpycry fell in love with a HopeClan cat once. But she got to stay in her Clan because they were never technically mates and she's one of the best at her craft." Ivypaw looked down and scuffed her paws.

"So..." she trailed off, unsure of what to say. "Why- I mean, how did I get an OwlClan disease?" Mistfall paused, her paw hovering above a stack of oak leaves.

"My best guess," she said, unfreezing and returning to herb sorting. "Well, more than a guess. A hypothesis, really. I believe that even if you- not you literally, but you know what I mean- even if you have no symptoms, you can carry a disease. If so, you would have a weakened version of the disease, so it wouldn't be strong enough for you to experience any symptoms, but you could still possess the ability to infect others. And if that proves correct... it seems likely you caught it from Moonpaw."

* * *

Ivypaw's mind was numb. _Moonpaw? How could-_ She shook her head. Moonpaw hadn't done it on purpose, obviously. Moonpaw was so soft and kindhearted, he wouldn't hurt a mouse! But to think that every moment someone was with Moonpaw, they might become so sick they could forget moons- it just seemed so... unlikely! Why hadn't Sparrownote caught it, or an apprentice?

"Ivypaw?" Mistfall's voice broke in. Ivypaw shook her head again to shake off the thoughts.

"Yes, Mistfall?"

"Stay in the medicine den. Do not leave it unless it is a life or death situation." Mistfall did not sidestep the facts. "You could give someone else the disease. Until we have the cure, we need to keep it from spreading. If it spreads, it could prove deadly, and I already had one patient die this morning."

"What?" Ivypaw said with shock. Mistfall nodded in a sad sort of way.

"Lightpaw couldn't battle the whitecough, so it turned into greencough. Not much of a story after that."

"Why couldn't she battle the whitecough?" Mistfall looked directly at Ivypaw, her face filled with anger.

"Because her brothers decided it would be fun to fill up on catmint right before leafbare!" Ivypaw was horrified.

"Would Graypaw and Flatpaw really do that?" she whispered.

"Apparently!" Mistfall snapped. "Because they did! And now I'm out of catmint, with leafbare at the border, not to mention you to take care of!" Ivypaw shrank from Mistfall as she loomed over her. Mistfall's teeth bared. "It's because of apprentices that these things happen! Apprentices make mistakes! Apprentices _are_ mistakes!" Ivypaw stood a little straighter, her hackles raised.

"Apprentices aren't mistakes!" she replied with more courage than she had. "Without apprentices, there'd be no Clan! We change bedding, fetch herbs, all the little things- but we also fight battle, grow up to be warriors, who defend the Clan, or medicine cats, who heal the Clan!" Mistfall backed off. Then, she smiled darkly.

"You've forgotten yourself, Ivypaw," she said, her eyes burning. "You'll grow up to be neither of those things. You'll grow up to _sing_." Ivypaw blinked away tears. _Why is Mistfall being so nasty?_ Mistfall had a smug expression on her face, as if she had just gotten something she wanted.

"I don't know how Briarpaw stands you!" Ivypaw shouted. Then she ran from the den, out into the forest because she had nowhere else to go.

* * *

Ivykit lifted her head as a rain drop splashed on her nose. Why was she in the forest? Oh, yeah, she had run away...

No light filtered through the trees. _Storm clouds must be gathering_. Ivykit sniffed the air to be sure. She could taste the rain hanging heavy in the air; she knew she needed to get home before it started to pour.

She got up and stretched as the rain began drizzle through the leaves above. For some reason, she felt bigger, stronger- like she had trained for moons in a single night. Ivykit shook her head. _That's impossible. I need to focus on heading home!_

She walked hesitantly along an unmarked trail. She wasn't anywhere she recognized; most places in HopeClan had a story to identify them. But inside, she felt like she knew the place... somehow, she felt like she was heading in the right direction.

A distant screech stopped her in her tracks. Her nose instinctively sniffed the air, tasting for knowledge. However, the rain was too powerful; she'd need to get closer to something if she wanted its scent. Ivykit shook her head. She wasn't going anywhere near whatever made that sound.

She started again, but this time what stopped her was a faintly visible silver light, dancing- no, flashing- through the trees. Almost in a daze, Ivykit followed it without knowing why.

For some time she stumbled through bracken and around trees, blindly pursuing the silver light. Somehow, it was always the same distance from her; if Ivykit sped up, so would the light, but if she slowed down, it never got farther away.

Soon she reached a clearing. Now the silver light was very close, circling a thick tree with strange plants growing around its roots. Ivykit slowly walked forward, afraid she would scare the light away, but it only twirled faster, becoming a silver ring around the trunk of the tree.

Ivykit carefully approached the tree, and with her new perspective could now see the strange plants were in small groups, budding with dark purple flowers. The silver light stopped whizzing around the tree and flew straight at the plants, exploding upon impact. Ivykit winced, then looked around, wondering what had happened to the light. Suddenly, beside her was a glowing silver she-cat, blue eyes twinkling.

_Blackroot._ It was a whisper and an echo, a thought and a command. The she-cat motioned with her tail at the plants. Ivykit looked back and forth between the plants and the cat. The she-cat gently nudged her. _Blackroot._ Ivykit closed her eyes and lowered her head to smell the plants. A scent, strong and tangy, met her nose. Her eyes flew open as she tried to place it.

_Blackroot._ The word was stronger this time, more forceful. Ivykit glanced at the she-cat. The she-cats eyes met hers, and never strayed as she lowered her head, gently grabbed the petal of one of the flowers, and pulled.

A small cry came from the direction of the plants. Ivykit watched as the flower whose petal had been plucked folded in on itself and was sucked down a thick black tube. _No, not a tube,_ Ivykit realized. _A root. A black root._

The she-cat blinked meaningfully at Ivykit. Ivykit was doubtful, but she reached down and gently pulled at the petal of a flower. Sure enough, the plant gave a little cry before the flower was folded and sucked as the previous one had been. The silver she-cat mimed biting the plant, and Ivykit realized with a stomach-dropping feeling what the cat wanted her to do.

"Oh, no," she said. "I'm not going to eat it. No matter what you say. Or don't say, I guess." The she-cat said nothing, as expected, but instead comfortingly licked Ivykit's head. Ivykit felt warmth spread through her, and she shook off her worries. She grasped the root that she had bitten the flower off of in her teeth, and delicately removed it from the ground.

A shriek rang throughout the clearing, but Ivykit gritted her teeth and lifted the root in the air. She squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed it whole.

Immediately, a pain racked her skull. She cried out, but the she-cat was already at her side and gently massaging her flank, easing the pain in someway. The she-cat licked her again, and that was the last thing Ivykit remembered before she passed out.

* * *

_Ivypaw was sitting under the stars. Up ahead, she saw a great, big, fiery star that blazed so brightly it left flashes in her vision. As she looked away, she noticed a brilliant silver stream cascading and flowing. She glanced around, and also noticed a tree, strange grooves carved into its bark, almost like a face. She absorbed her surroundings, and realized that on the banks of the stream was a dancing flame. No, not a flame- a tail! A flaming tail!_

_As Ivypaw wondered why she was here, a strange wind picked up. Ivypaw's ears pricked; she thought she had heard a voice! The wind grew louder and louder, and soon she heard a strange chanting. It had a fast rhythm and a foreign melody, and Ivypaw soon found herself harmonizing, making the tune even more beautiful._

_Now the chanting was thundering and powerful, and the wind threatened to sweep her away. Ivypaw stood her ground, and without warning, the wind stopped. A cat appeared in front of her, watching the sky with pale blue eyes. He spoke._

_**Thunder shall begin it.**_

_**River shall lend aid.**_

_**Wind will bring the teachings.**_

_**Shadow, the charade.**_

_**When the time has come,**_

_**Sky will sound the call,**_

_**The rules all being broken,**_

_**The stars shall end it all.**_

_And Ivypaw was swept away in the blink of an eye._


	9. Chapter 9

Ivypaw woke up feeling strange. Her head ached and her fur tingled, but there was something more. A taste in her mouth numbed her tongue, and she felt like a great change had occurred. Words echoed in her head. _Thunder shall begin it. River shall lend aid._ What in StarClan's name did that mean?

Ivypaw heard voices in the distance. She stood up, realizing she had been sprawled out on the ground. Her paw stepped on a sharp stick, and the pain sent images rushing through her mind. _White bangs. A silver cat. A strange plant._ Ivypaw shook her head as if to shake off the thoughts, but instead they started to click together. Her memory swirled and twisted, and Ivypaw began to recall what had happened. On an impulse, she headed to a nearby puddle formed between two tree roots and glanced at her reflection. Her bangs were their normal shade of red-brown, and her music note had a single flag, as it should. Ivypaw sighed with relief.

"Ivypaw!" a young voice called, and Ivypaw's ears swivelled as she tried to place it. "Ivypaw! Where are you?" A rustling began in the bracken to Ivypaw's right, and she whirled around as a gray cat emerged. Memories flashed through her head again. _Tumbling through the trees. Untangling from a sleek gray body. Laughing freely._

"Ivypaw!" Moonpaw exclaimed joyfully. "I- We were so worried, and-"

"Calm down," Ivypaw purred. "I'm okay." Moonpaw ran up to her, and they nuzzled gently, unspoken words passing between them. As Ivypaw felt his fur next to her own, she felt a weight on her chest, and she knew she could not bear to leave it there. "Moonpaw... I am so, so sorry about everything I did, and I hope that you can-"

"Shhh," Moonpaw interrupted, and softly washed her face, feeling warm and comforting. Ivypaw stood still, almost too shocked to move. As Moonpaw brushed her bangs aside, she felt her face grow hot. She pulled away.

"Moonpaw," Ivypaw began. Moonpaw shook his head.

"Please, Ivypaw," he begged. "Let me have this moment with you. I know I'm from another Clan, and I know that you need to find your soulmate, and that I got you sick and should be punished horribly for everything, but please let me love you for this moment, at least." Ivypaw's eyes grew wide. Moonpaw looked so hurt and lost; how could she deny him? And now that they were alone, she felt a heat between them, something that had never been there before. She sighed. She had to do the right thing.

"No, Moonpaw," she said firmly. "It can't be this way. And you know you're a dead cat if anyone finds you." Moonpaw was silent. He didn't ask if she would tell on him, or continue to beg her; he simply said nothing. Ivypaw grew nervous. How badly had she hurt him?

Finally, he turned and began to walk away, tail drooping. Ivypaw wanted to shout something, to take it all back... but she couldn't. StarClan, what had she done?

"Let's head back to camp," Moonpaw said softly, almost too softly for her to hear. "Everyone was wondering where you were." Ivypaw slowly followed, her own tail dragging. Everywhere that Moonpaw had touched her burned; she felt like she was on fire, but the fire was also warming her from the inside. Her paws tingled as she walked the path back towards camp.

* * *

"You have no idea how foolish you were, do you?" Sparrownote snapped. The words were echoes of Dewshine and Mistfall's. "You could have been-"

"Could have been _what?_" Ivypaw said testily. She was tired of the scolding and the nagging, and especially the complete ignorance that she had been sick and confused. "What could have possibly happened to me that is so bloody different from what I get from you on a daily basis?" Sparrownote was fuming.

"You're so ungrateful!" Sparrownote shouted at her. "You have one of the most coveted stations in life, a caring Clan, a _patient mentor!_"

"Patient?" Ivypaw spat. "When I became an apprentice, you did nothing but criticize me. You'd tell me I was hopeless, and when I did something right, you could always do better. And this Clan cares, all right; about my StarClan-forsaken destiny! That's all they see: my so-called coveted occupation!"

"Maybe we ought to just hand your occupation over to Moonpaw, then!" Sparrownote taunted. "After all, it seems he cares more about keeping the barrier to StarClan open than you do!" Those last words stung Ivypaw more than anything Sparrownote had ever said before.

"You're a horrid old cat!" Ivypaw burst out. "No wonder you never found your soulmate! No cat could ever be your other half because no one could possibly be as nasty and mean and cold-hearted as you!" Sparrownote was shocked; Ivypaw was even more so.

"You wretched apprentice," Sparrownote said finally, voice trembling with anger. "You have no idea what my life has been like. You're just a kit stumbling through the world, foolish and full of yourself. You think you're so wise. Well, then, why don't you just be the only Starsinger, then?" Ivypaw's jaw dropped. Sparrownote's shoulders were slumped in defeat. "There's nothing left for me in this world, anyway." Ivypaw was speechless as Sparrownote's form left the den.

"Wait, no! Sparrownote, wait!" Ivypaw called out, biting back every jibe and insult that popped into her head. Sparrownote couldn't just leave- she had no where else to go, and there was hardly a chance of her surviving on her own. But Sparrownote didn't turn. She just kept walking. She vanished into the forest, and Ivypaw fought the rising feeling of terror as she followed.

* * *

"Please come back, Sparrownote!" Ivypaw called desperately. She had combed most of the forest's perimeter, but not a trace of Sparrownote was to be found. Ivypaw was growing more and more frantic, and she realized that methodical searching would do no good; she needed to trust her instincts. Ivypaw closed her eyes and breathed slowly, waiting for some miracle from StarClan to appear.

For a while, she stood like that, unsure how she would know when the miracle arrived. Ivypaw tried to clear her mind. Then she tried to concentrate on Sparrownote. _Nothing._

Ivypaw cursed. However, she straightened as something inside her tugged. She stood very still and let it adjust, eventually pulling her towards-

"The river," Ivypaw breathed. She ran, no longer afraid of disturbing the tug. She pushed past bracken and tree limbs, feeling a thorn cut into her pad and a scratch be raked across her cheek by a branch but not caring.

The journey felt like it lasted forever, but Ivypaw was soon at the river, and the sight that met her there made her heart stop.

Sparrownote was in the river. She wasn't struggling. She simply lay there, her fur swaying in the current. Sparrownote's normally honey-colored pelt was stained dark. Her eyes were closed, and Ivypaw slowly walked over to Sparrownote in a daze, realizing what had happened but not fully registering it.

"Sparrownote?" Ivypaw said softly. She lowered her head and sniffed her mentor's fur. She remembered now that Sparrownote had always smelled like mist: hanging and heavy, but also a part of life, something you can expect to see in the morning, even if you won't enjoy it.

But Sparrownote didn't smell like mist now. She was like a poppy seed that had blown away, and had found its final resting place. As Ivypaw thought it, she recognized what she was saying. And with that, she bowed her head and sat vigil with the mentor who had been more than she had known.

* * *

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Hopepool!" Mintstar yowled, standing on the ledge that jutted out from the Hopepool. Everyone who gathered could see the sadness in Mintstar's eyes, and Ivypaw felt even worse because Moonpaw was keeping his distance.

Once everyone had assembled, Mintstar cleared her throat to continue. The mutters and murmurs among the crowd stopped as they turned their attention toward her.

"HopeClan," Mintstar began, her voice that was usually so sure now seeming to waver. "Today, we have had a few events take place. First of all, we may celebrate Ivypaw's return." There were a few half-hearted cheers, and Ivypaw shrank as she realized eyes were on her. Mintstar cleared her throat again, regaining their attention.

"But happy news is not the only tidings I bear. I-" Mintstar's voice cracked, and she cleared her throat repeatedly. "I regret to- to inform you that..." Every cat held their breath, afraid to hear what it was that could hold their leader back.

"The dark tidings we bear are hard ones, for Sparrownote has passed away." There was a collective gasp as Thornheart, the deputy, stepped in. "Sparrownote had a hard life, but in the end, she made the final choices. May Ivypaw survive her well." He turned to Ivypaw. She tried to move out of his gaze, but his steely eyes held her fast. "Ivypaw, you had three moons with your mentor, but you must be the senior Starsinger now. Do you know what to do?" Ivypaw blinked, feeling like the world was a blur. She nodded mutely, hoping she could remember what was required of her. She stepped up to the edge of the Hopepool, close enough that Mintstar could reach her.

"Ivypaw," Mintstar said, more in control now. "Your mentor has gone to StarClan, where she shall rest in peace forever. You are her legacy. Are you ready to uphold the responsibilities, duties, and burdens of being a Starsinger?" Ivypaw trembled. She wanted to screech _no, no, no!_ But instead she nodded again.

"I am," she said, her own voice cracking.

"Do you promise to obey the Starsinger code, to do what is best for the Clan, and to share the secrets of the Starsinger way with none but your own apprentice when the time comes?"

"I do."

"Will you make sure that all promises are kept and your honor is upheld, and that the Starsinger legacy continues so that StarClan will always be by our side?" Ivypaw took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I will."

"Then, by the power invested in me by our warrior ancestors, you are our new Starsinger. You have sworn yourself to be a Starsinger, and so will be until your dying day. And until that day, your name shall be..." Mintstar paused, and the slightest hint of a smile came to her face. "_Ivysong._"


End file.
